Author: Isabella Peadon
February 27th, 2023
Whether you live on the island here at Wrightsville Beach, in Downtown Wilmington on the river, or somewhere in between, you’ve probably stopped into the hot-spot coffee shop on South End, Sundays Café. If you aren’t from the Wrightsville Beach area and you’re looking for your next place to stop in for a cup-of-joe, look no further. Located right above South End Surf shop (a local surf shop on Wrightsville beach recently featured on the hit Netflix series “Outer Banks”), Sundays Café has been a staple of Wrightsville Beach for over 6 years and features a stunning view of the ocean. Sundays will be celebrating it’s 7th birthday in April. With a bright, family friendly ambiance and trendy surf aesthetic, it’s no wonder that the reviews of Sunday’s are so positive. The locally owned spot is even pet friendly, so bring your furry friends!
Owned by Jeff DeGroot, Sundays serves coffee, smoothies, acai bowls, bagels, and a selection of six local beers and two flavors of kombucha on tap. With $3 drafts on Mondays, the occasional food truck, and sporadic events throughout the month, there’s always something going on for any age group.
If you visit on any given day you’ll see college students, Wrightsville beach locals, and a wide range of visitors from in and out of the state of North Carolina. Sundays is a hot spot for beachgoers looking for a cup of coffee after watching the sun rise on the sand, a hit for surfers to grab a quick bite after a good surf session or bikers taking in all the views that Wrightsville Beach provides. The baristas are lively and welcoming, and, if you’re on the hunt for a new favorite drink or would like to expand your horizons, look no further. This is your exclusive look at the Sunday’s baristas favorite drinks.
Barista Ellie prefers an iced white mocha with oat milk and cinnamon. Baristas Mary and Lizzy go for a honey cinnamon latte with almond milk and Virginia favors an iced matcha with almond milk and one pump of lavender syrup. Barista Avery’s favorite drink is an iced cortado with coconut milk.
According to Ellie, the staff favorite drink on tap is the Flybird Margarita; an all-natural Saki based margarita. Another honorable mention is the Tropical Lightning IPA from a local spot, Wilmington Brewing Company. Other local beers available on tap include Flat Rock semidry apple cider, Wrightsville Beach Brewing’s “Kolsch Krush”, Edward Teaches “Teaches Peaches” wheat ale, and the “Galloping Gose” fruited sour by Broomtail Craft Brewery. If you’re looking for a wider selection of options, all of these beers can be found at their respective local brewery locations. Wrightsville Beach brewery is an 8-minute drive from Wrightsville Beach, Flying Machine is just over the second bridge, and Edward Teach and Broomtail Brewing are 15-20 minutes from the beach.
If you are planning on stopping by Sundays Café this March, there is no shortage of exciting things happening. Make an appearance on March 3rd and treat yourself to some “fairy hair” from Fairy Hair for All. Fairy Hair for All was created in 2015 by Katherine Greene who describes herself as a “true beach fairy at heart”. Kathrine was raised in coastal North Carolina and holds “fairy hair” pop-ups across the coast of the Carolinas. Fairy Hair for All is also available for personal appointments through their website.
If you’re a foodie looking for some local bites, head over to Sundays on March 12th or 25th to get a taste of something from First Bite Breakfast Food truck. First Bite, owned by Corey Maxson and Brian Glisson, was started because of a love for breakfast food, early mornings, and open afternoons for fishing. First Bite serves breakfast burritos, egg sandwiches, and a variety of other breakfast favorites.
On March 12th, stop into Sundays for a pop-up by Shark Bite Jewelry and spoil yourself with some shark teeth permanent jewelry. Shark Bite Jewelry is owned and operated by Sarah Kelly, a UNCW graduate and current Wilmington resident. Sarah began her jewelry business a few years ago and since then has fallen in love with using her business platform to fuel her passion for sharks and putting an end to shark finning. Her recent addition, permanent jewelry, is inspired by her love for her late grandmother and the closeness that jewelry can bring to loved ones. Shark Bite is known for it’s dainty shark tooth jewelry and permanent jewelry pop-ups all over the Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach area.
So, next time you find yourself on the east side of the bridge on beautiful Wrightsville Beach looking for a caffeine, a cold local brew, or a quick beach snack, be sure to head on over to Sundays Café. The coffee, food, and sense of community will surely not disappoint.
